#SelfPublishing
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Surprisingly Useful Things I Learned from Incredibly Dodgy Spam (So You Don’t Have To)
#1: Readers Aren’t Searching Your Book Title. Why I’m Opening the Bombs…. I get a lot of spam. Some of it is ordinary spam. Some of it is publishing spam, which is its own peculiar species. These emails tend to begin with flattering observations about a book, an author, or my company and end, eventually,…
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Have a Writing Question? Bring It to the Chat.
One of the reasons we created the Current Words Publishing Subscriber Chat is simple: writers have questions, and those questions don’t always need to wait for the next blog post. Maybe you’re wondering whether you should self-publish or pursue traditional publishing. Perhaps you’re trying to figure out Amazon keywords, book reviews, editing, cover design, ISBNs,…
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What’s New On Substack?
The final installment of our Can I Do That? copyright series is now available. In Part Four, we look at a question every author should understand: How do you protect your own copyright? We’ll cover when copyright begins, why registration matters, when it makes sense to register, and why understanding your rights is an important part of…
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Your Work Has Value Before It’s Published
Protect Your Own Copyright, Too Most writers spend a lot of time worrying about accidentally infringing someone else’s copyright. Far fewer spend time understanding their own. The final installment of our “Can I Do That?” series turns the conversation around. We’ll look at when copyright begins, why your first draft already matters, what registration does (and doesn’t)…
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Please Stop Quoting….
Every writer has experienced it. You’re working on a scene when the perfect song lyric pops into your head. It says exactly what your character is feeling, and suddenly you’re wondering whether you can borrow just a line or two. Unfortunately, copyright law isn’t quite that simple. In Part Three of our “Can I Do That?”…
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Copyright Is Every Author’s Business
Most writers don’t become authors because they enjoy reading legal Copyright Is Every Author’s Business Most writers don’t become authors because they enjoy reading legal documents. But sooner or later, nearly every writer asks questions like these: Can I quote song lyrics? Can I use that photograph I found online? If I give credit, is…
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Join Our New Subscriber Chat
Today we’re announcing a brand new addition to our Current Words Publishing Substack publication: CWP subscriber chat. This is a conversation space exclusively for subscribers—kind of like a group chat or live hangout. Dave and I will post questions and updates that come our way, and you can jump into the discussion. Join chat How…
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Am I the Only One Rick Riordan Is Writing to?
CURRENT WORDS PUBLISHING VENDOR VETTING CHECKLIST FOR AUTHORS ARE YOU AT RISK OF BEING TRICKED BY SPAM? Does everything in the emails sound like a dream come true, such as “We think your book would make a great movie”? Do you have someone helping you decide whether these offers are legitimate? Do you prefer to stay…
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Do Authors Need a Website? Yes, and Here’s Why It Matters
“Do I need an author website?” Yes, you do. And we build them. You don’t need a big author website, and you don’t need an expensive one. For about $68 a year, you can have a clean, professional home on WordPress, one you actually own. No gatekeepers, no middlemen, no wondering where your content went. If…
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Ready for Romance?
Lulu and Tanner are. Meet your matchmaker, Theodora Williams. I met Theodora in summer 2024, when she posted to the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) looking for help. Turns out Theodora had written four, that’s right, 4, romance novels, and wanted, not to be published by someone else, but help self-publishing, creating her own romance publishing…
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In the Spotlight | Dreams of the Return by Alan Bern
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Episode 13: Making Time to Promote and Sell Your Writing
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Episode 12: Substack for Writers: Growing Deeper Connections
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Episode 11: Substack for Writers: A Simple Way to Grow Your Audience
As writers, we’re always asking the same question: how do I find more readers? You might already have a website, maybe a few social media accounts, maybe even a book or two out in the world. But reaching the right people—and keeping them engaged—isn’t easy. That’s where Substack comes in. You’ve probably heard the name…
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Episode 10: The of Power Networking with a Fellow Writer
Writing can sometimes feel like a solitary journey—but networking ensures it doesn’t have to be. One of the most rewarding steps you can take as an author is to connect with another writer who is at a similar point in their career, works in your genre, and whose work you genuinely enjoy. This isn’t about…
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Cross-Promotion
One of the most powerful tools authors have today is each other. Cross-promotion allows writers to share audiences, build credibility, and expand their reach without feeling like they’re shouting into a void. The key is to approach it as a partnership: you’re not selfishly asking others to share your work, you’re offering to amplify theirs…
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” The Reader Magnet (part II).
Last time, we shared the concept of the reader magnet and its importance in helping expand your readership. If you missed that post, you’ll find it here. As mentioned in part 1, a reader magnet is a free, high-value offering—anything from a bonus chapter to a prequel to an upcoming work or an exclusive short…
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” The Reader Magnet.
A reader magnet is a free piece of content—like a short story, guide, checklist, or novella—that you offer to your audience in exchange for subscribing to your mailing list. Its primary goal is to attract readers, engage them, turn casual visitors into long-term fans, and add stickiness to your site. By giving something valuable up…
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Practical Marketing Tips for Authors: Elevator Pitch vs Hook
Writing a book is a major accomplishment worth celebrating. But finishing the manuscript is only the beginning of a larger journey—one that includes crafting a strong elevator pitch and doing the work to get your book not just published, but also read. Today’s question: Can you give me the elevator pitch quickly? Quicker than that?!…
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“You Wrote It. Now Sell It.” Practical Marketing Tips for Authors: Market Early and Often
Writing a book is a major accomplishment—and one worth celebrating. But finishing the manuscript is only the beginning of the larger journey: getting your work not just published, but read. Much of an author’s success depends on their willingness to market early and often—transforming your story from something known only to you into a book…